


Mission: Red Death

by Valerine



Category: Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Dark, M/M, Manipulation, Sadism, Violence, killer!au, killer!niel, protector!hoon, suicidal attempt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-11
Updated: 2018-04-07
Packaged: 2019-03-29 21:14:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13935549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valerine/pseuds/Valerine
Summary: Kang Daniel is a killer assigned to eliminate Hwang Minhyun. However, Park Jihoon is proving to be an obstacle in his mission.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've wanted to experiment on this genre for a while now. If you're soft at heart, maybe this is not your cup of tea haha. Also, I include some image below as a reference for the characters in the story to make it easier to imagine.
> 
> Warning: There's sadism and emotional manipulation involved. You have been warned. Read at your own risk.

Characters image reference:

Kang Daniel

 

Park Jihoon

 

* * *

 

There’s his man.

 

Hwang Minhyun.

 

The aim zeroes to the head of the target as the target comes out from the building, heading to the car with the heavy accompaniment of bodyguards around him. Daniel is cloaked in black, hidden in the shadows of the night on the rooftop of an abandoned building.

 

The edge of his lips tilts up. “Down you go.”

 

His finger poised on the trigger, the aim following the target’s head steadily. One snipe, and he imagines the bullet piercing through the skull and blooms red death into the head of the man. Not even his bodyguards can save him at that point.

 

A voice is suddenly heard through the earpiece. The usually calm voice of Ong Seongwu seems to raise a little in anxiety.

 

“Daniel, I see Park Jihoon. That bastard is acting weird.”

 

At the mention of the familiar name, Daniel halts for a moment and clicks his tongue in irritation.

 

But he can’t afford to let loose his aim now. Its really now or never. There won’t be another good chance. He decides to just get it over with then leaves this place as fast as he can.

 

Suddenly in the target’s view, Park Jihoon’s face comes into sight, successfully blocking Hwang Minhyun. He is looking exactly in Daniel’s direction with slicing cold eyes.

 

Daniel knows he lost his chance right then and there. He could’ve just shot Park Jihoon first before going for Hwang Minhyun, but something about those eyes stop him. And the voice of Seongwu is urgent as he warns him to get out from the building immediately. It seems that Park Jihoon has sent people to head into the building he is in.

 

Ha…fuck. How did he get discovered? Cursing darkly under his breath, Daniel straps his rifle back heavily. The boots click hastily on the ground as he jumps down from the ledge and starts running.

 

_Try to get out somehow. I’ll have the car waiting for you at the back alley._

 

“Understood.”

 

The building consists of five floors. The aim is to get down as many floor as he can first. As he descends the stairs, the sound of the footsteps become louder. Daniel gets to the third floor safely, light on his footsteps as he enters the corridors. He has to get off from the third floor before the police can catch sight of him. Number-wise, he is at a disadvantage and he’d like to avoid bloodshed in this case. Besides…his target is still alive and its his utmost priority to eliminate that man first.

 

He looks out from a nearby window. There’s a steel pipe connecting to another window in the second floor, and he doesn’t waste time to take that chance to escape. The police reach the third floor at the same time. Daniel glides down the pipe stealthily and enters through the window below. Above him, he can hear their padding footsteps and clamoring. _No one in sight, proceed upstairs!_

 

It’s almost too easy, Daniel thinks.

 

He knows because Park Jihoon is usually too smart to let him go that easily. The few encounters Daniel had with him in the past has him no difficulty analyzing and predicting the other’s moves.

 

They meet on the stairs leading down to the first floor.

 

Park Jihoon is as beautiful as ever. The big black eyes look cold, yet they seem to burn quietly with rage at the same time. The cheekbones are high, as well as the nose bridge. The jaw is well-defined and it makes the side profile look gorgeous. He clearly has all the features of an extremely good-looking adult male. Yet, the lips are like a girl’s, soft lush and prominently red. The big eyes that are decorated with dark long lashes also seem to contradict the masculinity, giving a sense of androgyneity. It’s probably because of fascination for the face that makes Daniel hesitate to shoot through the pretty head every single time.

 

It’s a pity to kill such a beauty, afterall.

 

Jihoon’s eyes flash red, in an instant the hand tries to reach for the gun at his waist. However, Jihoon is too slow compared to Daniel. Daniel's movement is quick, quiet and precise, like the killer he is trained to be. Before Jihoon can even touch his gun, Daniel has already slipped up to him and caught his hand. Jihoon seemed to have some training in self-defense. The moment the hand is caught, he quickly twists away, his leg coming up to kick Daniel from the side. Daniel blocks the incoming leg with one hand. Jihoon uses his other hand and tries to take his gun out again, but Daniel suddenly reverses his body and pushes Jihoon back against the wall. The sudden impact causes the gun to fall from Jihoon’s hand and spins on the floor, abandoned.

 

Daniel has Jihoon trapped to the wall with the force of his back, but Jihoon takes it as an opportunity at the sight of the wide exposed neck in front of him. Jihoon’s one arm that is free immediately locks itself around Daniel’s neck, applying monstrous force enough to choke the other. Despite the small dainty hand that Park Jihoon has, the strength should not be understated.

 

“Today will be your end.” The baritone voice of Jihoon is as low as Daniel and when voiced with such malice, it has that intimidating effect. As soon as he said that, the arm that locks the neck tightens even more. Daniel's breathing becomes harsh, but he immediately move into action as he strikes his elbow back against Jihoon’s abdomen, hard. Jihoon’s breath hitches behind him and the arm loosens slightly, so Daniel continues to repeatedly strike behind him until the arm becomes loose completely.

 

Daniel is released and Jihoon crumbles down to the floor, coughing harshly. Daniel proceeds to leisurely pick up Jihoon’s gun on the floor.

 

“Seems like today is not the day for me.”

 

He holds Jihoon at gunpoint.

 

“But maybe, it’ll be yours…If you don’t follow my instructions.”

 

Jihoon's eyes that look back at him burns silently with hatred.

 

“Get up.” Daniel motions. Jihoon, who is quietly bearing the pain, slowly but reluctantly follows.

 

And at that moment, Jihoon's hand rushes to grab hold of the gun barrel and pushes it to the side. At the same time, his body slinks in one swift motion towards Daniel to throw him off. But Daniel seems to predict this, and in response he puts one step back to stabilize his body, and this time he is the one who has his arm locking around Jihoon’s neck. Jihoon struggles to get away with all of his might. Unfortunately in terms of strength, Daniel is always much stronger than Jihoon is.

 

“Don’t move.” At that moment, the cold gun end touches against Jihoon’s sweaty temple. He could hear the threatening smile in Daniel’s whisper.

 

“Child’s play is over. I can easily get rid of you if I want to, but I like playing with you so I’m merely letting you have some fun brawling time with me.” The lips touch Jihoon’s earlobe and Jihoon can’t help but to shiver, shifting his head away angrily.

 

“Fucking bastard…”

 

“This time its serious. If you try to do anything funny, I’ll kill you right here and now…Understand?” Daniel leans his cheek against Jihoon’s own. It is said almost too lovingly, and the breath is warm yet chilly at the same time. Jihoon’s expression is steeled, yet the mind is starting to run wildly as the situation sinks heavily on him.  

 

He is dragged outside the back of the building in that way. The cold night air hits his face relentlessly as Daniel continues to steer them through one alley after another. Jihoon’s radio starts to sound at that moment. _Sir...-_ Daniel takes it from his back pocket and hurls it to the ground. The static voice immediately dies down. He steps on the crushed bits just to make sure.

 

When Daniel is sure they’re far enough to be undetected, he finally puts his earpiece back on.

 

 _Where are you?_ The voice of Seongwu immediately filters in, sounding anxious as if he has been waiting news from Daniel all these while.

 

“...Please wait a while. I have a little business to take care of.” The last part is said with his eyes on Jihoon’s face.

 

_Niel-ah, its too dangerous. We can’t-_

 

Daniel turns off his earpiece before Seongwu can finish.

 

He backs Jihoon against the wall, and closes the distance between their face. The full moon that shines above is the only source of light that outlines Jihoon’s face which looks defiant and fearless. Still, the ethereal face that is illuminated by the pale moonlight is breathtaking.

 

“Park Jihoon, its really a pleasure to finally be able to talk to you face to face like this. ”

 

“...”

 

“I’ve been wanting to have a little chat with you…after all the times you’ve ruined my mission.” The tone is light at first but towards the end it becomes hostile. Jihoon doesn’t falter however. He stares back into the emotionless eyes of Daniel steadily, as if nothing Daniel says is going to intimidate him.

 

And as if the previous hostility is forgotten, the corner of Daniel’s lips lift up in a cool smile. “I understand. It’s your job to protect Hwang Minhyun. But I wonder why are you so devoted to protecting this guy?” Daniel remembers the countless times Jihoon puts himself in front of Minhyun despite knowing fully well that he himself could be killed in the process.

 

“Even if you say its because of your sense of duty, I don’t feel that reason alone is enough to make you this willing to throw your life away carelessly for the sake of one man.”

 

“...”

 

“So tell me, why are you so intent to protect him?”

 

“...”

 

“No matter how I look at you, your face is really not the type to be involved in such a dangerous job.”

 

“...”

 

“I’m inclined to spare your pretty face. But if you keep on ruining my mission like this, I’d have no choice but to break you…Park Jihoon.” The name is breathed out in a mix of sultriness and intimidation next to the other’s ear. Jihoon throws a hateful glare at him, and he doesn’t miss a beat when Jihoon lifts up his hand. He catches the wrist and slams it beside his head. Then Jihoon takes out another fist only to be caught again by Daniel. Daniel now has Jihoon trapped completely against the wall with both wrists in his hold.

 

“Aren’t you feisty? You simply don’t know how to stay still.”

 

Jihoon winces visibly when the grip tightens, and Daniel thinks again that Jihoon is indeed not suited with this kind of profession at all.

 

Suddenly, the sound of a vibrating cellphone breaks the tensed silent air between them.

 

Daniel lets go one hand to take the cellphone in Jihoon’s pocket. Been on top in his profession for years, Daniel has always been one or two steps ahead. And because Jihoon is just the type who won’t give up trying, so Daniel expects he would try something again. Its like taking care of a petulant child...Before Jihoon can try to do anything again, he turns Jihoon around so his front crashes against the cold wall, the two slender wrists are twisted behind the back with Daniel’s one hand. Daniel takes out the phone with his other hand. He reads the name that is shown on the blinking screen.

 

“Minhyun hyung.”

 

“You bastard… don’t you dare...” Jihoon bites out harshly.

 

Daniel makes a sound of surprise at the realization. “Oh, so this explains why. Minhyun hyung must be someone special to you, isn’t it?”

 

Its the first time he sees Jihoon’s expression falls, and he can’t help but to laugh at the discovery.

 

“It’s no wonder Park Jihoon would give up his life for Hwang Minhyun. Do you love him that much?”

 

“Shut up…”

 

“Your love for him makes you do stupid things for him. Its touching, honestly.”

 

The screen of the phone finally stops blinking. _1 missed call from Hwang Minhyun._

 

Daniel suddenly thinks of something.

 

“Park Jihoon. What if I give you an offer on Hwang Minhyun? Would you like to hear it out?”

 

At that moment, Jihoon’s eyes flickers. There’s no audible answer, but the resistance has lessened in response. Daniel smiles almost too warmly at the way Jihoon exposes his weakness so vulnerably at the mention of Minhyun.

 

“If you kneel and suck me right here and now, I’ll leave Hwang Minhyun alone for a week. How about that?”

 

Even as Jihoon takes it in, he can’t believe the words that come out of the other's mouth.

 

It's clear that Daniel intends to degrade him.

 

“Fucking bastard…”

 

“Not good enough?”

 

“Just don’t come near him at all…”

 

“I can’t do that you know. Afterall I’ve already been given an absolute instruction to kill him. Its already a shame to my reputation if I have to delay killing him another week. Yet, I’m offering you this in consideration of your pure love for him. You can spend another precious week with your beloved without going crazy worrying that anyone might shoot him in the head at any second.” Daniel laughs in a good-natured manner. Jihoon looks at the face with disgust.

 

“So what’s your decision?”

 

“...”

 

Daniel shifts and presses his front more firmly against Jihoon’s back, enough so that the contour of their body fit against each other.

 

“You know the difference between you and me? I’m made to kill, its not difficult to eliminate a target if I really want to. I can easily kill you right now, and proceed to kill Hwang Minhyun next.”

 

Jihoon’s expression falls again. For once, there’s a look of fear on the pretty face and it spurs Daniel into exhilaration. Indeed, fear is an emotion that matches well with the face. It makes the beautiful face softens. Daniel likes a fearful Park Jihoon.

 

On the other hand, Jihoon’s mind is only swirling with one constant terrifying thought. If he dies, then Minhyun hyung will get killed in the hand of this man…He absolutely can’t let that happen.

 

“Why do you want to kill Hwang Minhyun so terribly?”

 

“I told you I’m just being instructed to.”

 

“If you’re being instructed to because of money, then I’ll pay you however much you want…So, please I beg you… Just leave Hwang Minhyun alone.”

 

“I’m sorry, but what should I do? The instruction comes from a superior I can’t defy. Like how you can’t defy your good world’s rule, I can’t defy my rule either.”

 

“...Then why does your superior wants to kill him?”

 

Jihoon can’t understand why someone would want to kill the kind selfless Minhyun who always holds other people’s best interest in his heart.

 

“The world needs to be balanced. When too many good people lives, the other side can’t survive. Hwang Minhyun is a hindrance to people of my side.”

 

“...That doesn’t even make sense.”

 

“Does it matter? Even if I explain everything to you, he will still be killed at the end of the day.”

 

“...”

 

“I’m asking you again. What is your decision?”

 

“...Does it really have to be this way?” Jihoon’s voice is barely above a whisper. He subtly bargains, but Daniel has no intention to make it easier for Jihoon.

 

After a long moment of silence, Jihoon finally breathes out.

 

“...I’ll do it.”

 

Daniel finally smiles, he presses harder against Jihoon’s back until Jihoon is completely flattened against the wall. Jihoon’s breath hitches in surprise, and his first instinct is to get away but Daniel has him stuck between the other’s body and the wall. The large arms wrap around his waist and a face buries itself in his nape, inhaling his scent. “You smell good.” Jihoon can feel the breath, and the hair on his neck rises. It’s a weird feeling, being embraced by your enemy. Eventhough he hates it, he can only suppress it and not say anything.

 

Daniel’s lips brush along his neck and Jihoon tilts his chin up shakily. A tongue slips out and runs along the skin of his nape and Jihoon trembles harder, eyes squeezing shut. “You even taste good.”

 

“I’d like to taste you more…but sadly there’s no time.”

 

Jihoon is turned around by a sudden dominant force. The moonlight shines over the head of Daniel and for the first time he is able to see the face properly. It’s an undeniably good-looking face, with dark smoky eyes that seem to be used to seducing as they looked at Jihoon intensely. But above all that, the gray hair stands out in perfect complement with the moonlight. The dangling earrings glinting in the light blinds Jihoon.

 

Jihoon thinks he looks just like a night werewolf that is hunting for his prey.

 

Daniel kisses both sides of his cheeks and continues to look at him with that silent, intense gaze. Jihoon turns his face away uncomfortably. Daniel smiles at that.

 

“Now do your job.” In contrary to the kind-looking smile, the hand that pushes the top of his head down is rough and demanding.

 

Kneeling down in shame, Jihoon has his head bowed as he hesitantly unfastens Daniel’s pants. Daniel looks down at the brown mop of hair between his legs. It’s already exciting to imagine that Park Jihoon is kneeling in front of him, and its even more exciting to know that Park Jihoon is going to make him feel good. He hardens immediately at the thought, and the other man sees it.

 

It’s shameful, humiliating. Jihoon can’t bring his head up even as he wraps his hand around the length and starts stroking.  

 

“With your mouth.” The voice above instructs.

 

When Daniel tells him to do it with his mouth, he isn’t sure how because he has never done it before. As if not caring, Daniel’s impatient hand fists the back of his head and urges forward.

 

Jihoon looks up briefly with moist eyes, then reluctantly opens his mouth to take in the tip. Daniel exhales a strained breath at the sudden warmth and wetness that envelops him. Jihoon starts sucking, but the movement is clumsy and awkward and Daniel knows immediately that it’s his first time. He wanted to ask Park Jihoon how deep his relationship is with Hwang Minhyun, but he’s too occupied with the sight of the fluttering dark lashes that appear to look thicker and longer when looked from above.

 

Jihoon is visibly struggling to get the whole length in his mouth. Daniel’s breath starts to become ragged and he feels the heat pools in his groin incredibly fast. He tugs the back of Jihoon’s head just to reveal his face a little more, fingers moving to brush away the soft brown fringes on his forehead. He savours the look on the pretty face for a moment before he starts moving his hips hard and fast without warning. The sadistic hunger is fed when Jihoon’s eyes start to squeeze tears whenever his dick is being slammed all the way into Jihoon’s throat.

 

It’s incredibly exhilarating. Its something he has never felt before, and it’s fucking amazing how the pretty tearing eyes that blinks up at him pleadingly can make his desire builds up so fast. Jihoon’s hands seek for salvage on Daniel’s thighs, pounding on them hard, scratching his nails on them, trying to pull his head back, but Daniel doesn’t allow it as he keeps his steel hold on Jihoon’s head. The inside of the mouth has become really wet, tongue slick with saliva, and because the mouth is unable to contain it, the saliva drools down the corner of Jihoon’s lips as he continues sliding his dick inside repeatedly.

 

It lasts that way for a few more minutes before Daniel finally reaches his climax, pulling out from Jihoon’s mouth just in time to come on the other’s face. The pent-up desire spurts out in sticky white strings all over Jihoon’s lashes, cheek and lips. Even in a wet mess, Jihoon is a sight to behold.

 

Jihoon rubs his dirtied face with the back of his hand slowly and sniffs a few times.

 

Daniel supports himself against the wall with one hand, looking down at Jihoon’s bowed head while still panting heavily. The aftermath leaves him with the sense of wanting to possess and taint the face repeatedly, but he realizes in a foreboding manner that time is running out.

 

He bends down, and uses his fingers to tilt Jihoon’s chin up. The lips are red, swollen and shiny with saliva, and the face looks thoroughly fucked and utterly submitted.

 

“Beautiful.” Daniel smiles.

 

Jihoon’s face and body colours red with shame, and he harshly breaks away from Daniel’s hold.

 

“Because of you, he’ll get to live another week. Thank yourself.” Daniel pats Jihoon’s head in a consoling manner, then pressing his lips on Jihoon’s cheek tenderly before whispering. “Until then. I’ll see you again.”

 

Jihoon doesn’t move an inch, only listening as the sound of the clicking boots on the asphalt gradually fades in the darkness.

 

It's a night that is cold and merciless.

   


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has now become a chaptered fic. Thank you for the interest :)

Jihoon slams down the glass in his hand, making a loud clanking sound against the hard wooden table. His eyes are half-lidded as he continues to pour one drink after another for himself, blissfully ignoring Park Woojin who is watching him quietly from the side.

 

Woojin can tell there’s something in Jihoon’s mind at this point, and it seems to weigh heavily and disturbingly seeing how absorbed Jihoon is in drinking his thoughts away the whole night.

 

Park Woojin has been Park Jihoon’s partner in the workforce for years. They have gone through countless dangers while solving cases together, and he is used to seeing the calm and collected Jihoon who is always sturdy on his feet no matter what kind of obstacles they faced. Yet this time, with the responsibility of protecting Hwang Minhyun being thrusted upon him, for the first time Woojin sees Jihoon gradually crumbling under the weight of his duty.

 

There’s nothing Woojin can think of doing other than asking if he’s okay.

 

Jihoon only briefly glances at Woojin before ignoring his question and continue pouring another glass of soju. That too, he downs in a single shot like the rest.

 

This is also the first time Woojin sees Jihoon being so distressed that he doesn’t even want to talk.

 

Woojin is fortunately a person who is born with sensitivity towards other people’s emotions and he is careful as he tries not to upset the already messy emotional state of Park Jihoon. So all he can do is to continue being the drinking company of Park Jihoon while also checking the other’s condition once in a while.

 

It must be their fourth bottle when the silence is finally broken by Jihoon’s small depressing voice.

 

“You know…”

 

“...?”

 

“There’s nothing else I want more than protecting Minhyun hyung.”

 

“...”

 

“But right now it feels so suffocating…”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Jihoon turns to look straight into Woojin’s eyes. Rather than looking drunk, Jihoon's eyes and face look deathly serious.

 

“How will you respond if you have to to do something you hate in order to protect someone?”

 

Woojin feels the weight of the question in the intensity of the gaze directed to him. It feels like a life and death kind of question.

 

“Why are you asking this kind of question? Are you in trouble?”

 

Woojin asks because he is feeling increasingly uneasy and worried at the unusual behaviour of Jihoon. They have been by each other’s side through thick and thin, through life and death situations, and naturally Woojin feels the need to at least know if the other’s life is somewhat in danger at the moment.

 

“Nothing like that…”

 

Jihoon answers in a vague way, then turns away and starts pouring drink for himself again. At the other’s persistent silence, Woojin realizes Jihoon won’t tell him anything further. He sighs after a while. Park Jihoon is the type of person who if he doesn’t want to share the problem, he won’t give anything away even if anyone insists. He is just that stubborn. So there is nothing Woojin can do but to answer the hanging question.

 

Looking at the other’s solemn expression, he decides to answer as honestly as he can.

 

“If it’s someone I really want to protect, I guess I’ll swallow my hatred and bear with it…”

 

Jihoon watches him for a long while. Then finally smiles in a way as if he’s expecting that exact answer.

 

“...That’s right... If I were you, I’d also do the same thing.”

 

“Then why are you asking me if you already know?” Woojin frowns.

 

“…I just want to know if what I’m going to do is going to be the right thing.”

 

Jihoon laughs, but it sounds uncomfortable. Woojin shifts in his seat rather uneasily. They are eating at their favourite food stall at the roadside. It's an old place, the plastic chair Woojin is sitting on has cracks on it and the table’s edge are peeling off, yet both of them always prefer this place because of the good food and quietness since less people visit this place… They always have a good talk everytime they come here because of the peaceful atmosphere, yet the air between them today is strangely awkward and tense.

 

And Woojin is starting to feel irritated because of the other’s stubbornness.

  

“...Inspector- No, Park Jihoon, stop talking in circles. How about you tell me what’s really going on.”

 

It’s not a request, rather an order. Even if Jihoon is his superior, the inspector in their workforce, he hardly feels the need to be conscious of their position at the moment. Rather than a superior, Park Jihoon is more of a friend to him. Their relationship extends beyond the boundary of duties, at least this is what Park Woojin thinks.

 

Yet, Park Jihoon seems to not think the same way at the moment.

 

“Assistant inspector, I’m sorry but I’ll be heading home now... Thank you for accompanying me today.” Jihoon puts a few bills on the table, then gets up from his seat. Woojin stands up as well, but Jihoon is already walking to the front entrance.

 

“Ah, and also…”

 

Before he exits, Jihoon turns his head back to look at Woojin.

 

“The chief sent us a file regarding an illegal weaponry shop earlier. Please put it on my table tomorrow.” _I’ll need to pay it a visit._

 

Woojin watches as Jihoon goes out through the entrance, the figure disappearing as it blends into the night. He sits down again slowly and heaves a sigh, downing his drink with a bitter burning feeling.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The life of Park Jihoon is such that he wakes up in the morning, goes to work, then goes back home and sleep. Repeating the same routine the next day. Only occasionally would he go for drinks after work and hanging out with some friends. Otherwise his life is always too revolved around his work to do anything else. Because of his diligence and dedication to his work, he was promoted as an inspector in the police workforce at an early age. It’s also because of the individual capabilities that he showed in his performance, his sharp sense, reasonable logic and competent skills that make him noticeable in his job. Eventually the chief is keen with him and starts paying attention to him.

 

And that is how Jihoon reached to where he is now. He is being looked up by his colleagues more and more as his achievements pile up with each solved cases. Yet all the attention and compliments that are given both from his superiors and colleagues meant nothing as much as the ones given by the person who Jihoon looked up to the most.

 

Hwang Minhyun. The person he could give his life for.

 

_Jihoon-ah, you aren’t picking up my call. I’m worried about you. Are you okay?_

__

The next day, Jihoon reads the message that is sent by Minhyun and becomes silent for a while. Yesterday after drinking with Woojin he had gone home and immediately went to sleep without checking his phone because he was so tired.

 

A part of it is also because he wants to avoid Minhyun.

 

At the same time, he doesn’t want Minhyun to worry. So he sends a reply with that thought in mind.

__

_I’m sorry I couldn’t take your call. Its because I’m busy these days. But I’m doing fine so please do not worry about me._

 

Putting down his phone, he exhales a heavy breath.

 

He remembers that night with the man who resembles a werewolf. Everything is rushing in again, the amused voice that calls out Minhyun's name as he read from the phone that is snatched by force, the feeling of the hard body that pressed against his back, the sensation of a slick tongue running along his neck and the humiliating act he is forced to do. As much as he tries to forget it, the memories of that night is burnt into the back of his mind and he is tortured by the unwanted images that keep on surfacing in his mind during the day.

 

It has been five days since then. One week is almost over.

 

Time is running out.

 

He lays his trembling hands on the table and clenches his fists. For a while, he is motionless as he tries to calm his mind.

 

Until Woojin comes up to his table. Jihoon looks up and sees the frown on the other’s face, and he immediately recomposes himself.

 

“...Here’s the file you requested yesterday.” Woojin hands him a thin file. Jihoon thanked him briefly then proceeds to open it. Woojin who was initially watching his behaviour quietly leaves after a while.

 

Inside the file, there is just a single piece of paper with a few photos attached to it. The photos show the image of the weaponry shop and on the paper the address of the place is written as well as a few other information. The content is simple and straight to the point. The objective of this assignment is simply to do further investigation on the place and to report if further action is needed.

 

Jihoon personally requests to be in charge of this assignment for a good reason. And this time, he doesn’t bring Woojin with him like he usually does.

 

 

* * *

 

 

In a particular location at a secluded area of the city, lies a web of alleys that has been rumoured to be where the black market activities take place. The police has gotten track of this information since a few months back from a reliable source, and has since send men to monitor the activities there. However, the news of the police keeping watch of the place also seemed to have leaked and the activities has since been dulled significantly. Only occasionally one or two people who were careless got arrested, but it was nothing major, hence the police has yet able to get a large result from it.

 

Jihoon has heard that there is an organization that is responsible in controlling the whole black market. However, it seems the secrecy of the existence of such an organization is so well-hidden that one has to wonder if it really does exist or not. This piece of information was something they obtained from one of the black market followers that they arrested before, however the person could hardly provide enough information to validate the existence of such an organization nor for them to go further with their investigations. In the end, their operation was suspended at a death end due to the lack of information and lack of activities going on. It is a time of despair for the police workforce.

 

As Jihoon has been too occupied with the duty of protecting Hwang Minhyun all these while, he was not able to join in the operation.

 

So now for the first time, Jihoon steps into the scene and sees the place for what it is. The alleys are filled with a sick-feeling atmosphere and are infested by sick-looking people everywhere. It is a depressing sight of poverty with ruined lives left and right. The people here are either high on drugs, or look as if they are dying from a disease. Vulgar music filters from the dirty-looking bars and clubs lined along the alleys, scantily-clad youngsters loudly shouting curses or making out shamelessly in public, homeless people sleeping on the streets and committing crimes freely.

 

This place is called Black Death for a reason. The population here eventually either dies from drug addiction or its side effects, or due to transmitted diseases. This place is isolated mainly because of this reason. Years ago, the president has made the decision to separate this sick population apart in order not to affect the main population of the city. In a way, he neglected his responsibility on this particular population and his action has been heavily frowned on by Hwang Minhyun, who at the present time is rumoured to be most likely next in line for president in the upcoming election.

 

Because Minhyun has been so opposed to the black market which has brought destruction upon this population, thus he has advocated the action to hunt the culprit behind it. Since then, the eradication of the black market has become the main mission of the police force.

 

And that is why Jihoon who is always fast and sharp in his thinking, asks himself if there is anyone who would want to kill Hwang Minhyun for that particular reason, it would most likely be people from the organization who is linked to the black market.

 

That man from that night…is probably from the organization too.

 

So ideally this is the place where Jihoon needs to start off.

 

From the information that is written in the file, it seems that the weaponry shop he is going to visit is the one and only shop that supplies weapons in this area. If his intuition is right, he may be able to track the man he wants to see from the owner of the shop.

 

Jihoon is not in his usual uniform, instead he is dressed in black from head to toe to avoid revealing his identity. Today he is on a personal investigation instead of the usual police duty.

 

“Welcome!”

 

Because of the way he is dressed, the owner also thinks he is a customer who genuinely wants to do business. Therefore appearing eager as he shows the collection of firearms he has on the display case. Jihoon stops him halfway through.

 

“I’m not here to buy anything. Rather, I’m here to ask you something.”

 

“...Yes?”

 

“Do you know of the organization that is in control of this place?”

 

In an instant, the face of the owner hardens. The owner is a middle-aged man, with a heavy built, thick beard and a scarred face. He looks roughened up in contrary to Jihoon. Through years of experience, Jihoon has gotten used to deal with opponents that look much tougher than him, and the one thing he discovers is that rather than strength or physical power it is words that are feared more. Threats, blackmails, they are common things that he encounter, and they are laid out easily with words that one would doubt if its even serious. Yet, the next day, they’d find the dead body of a woman, the drowned body of a kidnapped child, unexpected explosions in a building, and they all happened simply because they chose to not take the easy words of a person seriously. Jihoon has despised people who used this method the most, because it is a cowardly act, because it plays with the emotion of the victim and the people who is going to be affected by it the most.

 

“I don’t. If you’re not interested to do business, then you can leave.”

 

Jihoon idly runs a finger on the glass case. Yet, this time he has no choice but to be the one to use this method. For the sake of protecting the person who is important to him.

 

“Please don’t say that. Eventhough I won’t be buying anything, but I’m interested to do an exchange with you. It’ll be beneficial for both you and me.”

 

The man looks cautious. He seems to be analyzing Jihoon.

 

Jihoon pulls out his badge from his coat and shows it to the man.

 

“I’m from the police. I know you’re selling illegal weapons from black market, and I’m supposed to confirm this information and report it back to the chief…However I’m willing to turn a blind eye on all these and let you go if you tell me what I want in return.”

 

The man is smart enough to understand what is going on. And he is also smart enough to be able to guess what Jihoon wants.

 

“...I don’t know anything about the organization.”

 

Jihoon smiles kindly. “Don’t worry. I won’t burden you with questions about the organization. Instead, I’m here because I want to track a person down.” _He has gray hair, pale face, wearing long earrings, has a tall body, height is probably around 180cm… you have seen him don’t you?_

 

The man is silent for a while.

 

“The most likely place he will get all his weapon is from your shop. So please tell me how to meet him. Then, I shall leave you alone in peace.”

 

“...”

 

“What do you say?”

 

Jihoon prods and watches the other’s expression morphs into something akin to guilt. The man looks down as he reluctantly answers in a small voice.

 

“...He will come here tomorrow to get supplies. You will be able to meet him tomorrow if you come here again.”

 

“What time?”

 

“No particular time. But he usually comes at night.”

 

“I see. Thank you for the information.” Jihoon smiles gratefully, turning around to leave. But he remembers something and turns back to ask the owner again.

 

“Can you tell me his name?” He needs a name for his enemy. The enemy who is threatening him, and who he dreads more and more as time continues to tick.

 

“...I’m not really sure if its his real name. But he goes around by the name Daniel.”

 

Jihoon nods once and finally leaves the shop.

 

Daniel. The name sticks to Jihoon’s mind together with the memories of that night. It's a name he will not forget.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Jihoon looks at himself in the mirror.

 

There has been a dark period in his life where this face has been his weakness, his downfall, the cause of his suffering. It's ironic. Since he was born, the face has always been the one and only thing that leaves the strongest impression. The face is pretty and people fall in love with it at first sight. He easily becomes the subject of adoration to people around him. Yet at the same time because of this face, there has been countless difficulties that he has to face when starting off in his chosen profession. People look down at him and belittles him simply by looking at his face. Jihoon has always think his face is a weakness rather than a strength.

 

But now for the first time since entering the profession, he thinks this face can finally be used as as a strength. And Jihoon intends to use it to the fullest.

 

He has gone out with a face that looks clean, with shirt that is more revealing than usual and with pants that hug his legs snugly.

 

And he waits for Daniel to come.

 

The moon is high up in the sky. Only some lamppost are functioning and they light up only a few small areas along the alley. Drunk people bump into him and try to lead him away. But he stays still and quiet and doesn’t budge an inch from his spot.

 

It must be about another hour more of waiting before he sees a silhouette nearing the shop. One, two, three steps, and the silhouette unveils itself from the darkness. The face and figure of the killer catches the moonlight, and Jihoon is struck with the familiarity of the presence.

 

Daniel enters the shop, and Jihoon follows suit.

 

The moment he enters, he sees Daniel is leaning beside the door with his arms crossed as if waiting for him.

 

“It’s Park Jihoon.” Daniel tilts his head to the side and smiles at Jihoon in a friendly manner.

 

Jihoon couldn’t react for a while. Their second meeting is also an unpleasant one as Jihoon feels a sick feeling rising in his stomach at the look on that face.

 

He quells down the nausea and tries not to reveal anything on his face.

 

“What do you want from me?” Daniel uncrosses his arms and now stands to face Jihoon. He realizes that today Jihoon looks strangely obedient and calm. There is none of that usual animosity directed to him. None of that fear, anger or hatred that makes the face so irresistibly attractive. Instead, there is a serene expression on the beautiful face. And the impression is not bad either, because the beauty seems to be the purest in that state.

 

“And how did you manage to find me?” He is only amused at the fact that Jihoon is able to find him. He has an idea though. When he enters the shop earlier, he has seen the nervous look on the owner’s face and immediately realizes something is going on. Now, he thinks Park Jihoon probably has had a little chat with the shop owner and managed to get information on his arrival tonight.

 

“Shouldn’t you be more curious about why I’m trying to find you.” Jihoon tilts his head. The big eyes are blinking up at him with charm.

 

“You’re right. That, and I’m also curious about your look today.” Daniel’s eyes scan the other from head to toe. Jihoon looks particularly neat today. The brown hair gently frames his face, softening his look. The skin of the face seems to be glowing, the eyes look darker, lashes look thicker, and the lips are especially red. No matter how he looks at it, there's definitely been some touch-ups done to the face. Then there's also the tempting sight of the slender neck, followed by the smooth curve of shoulders and the pale patches of skin peeking out from the low neckline. Jihoon's nicely-shaped legs are also visibly outlined in the tight black pants.

 

The delectable apple red lips of Jihoon curl into a smile, and Daniel is distracted by it for a moment.

 

“Do you want to go somewhere else? I’ll tell you everything you want to know.” The voice of Park Jihoon today is also strangely sultry and persuasive. Daniel can hardly say no as he lets himself being led by Jihoon outside into the night air.

 

They go into a quiet secluded corner in a narrow alley and Jihoon stands to face Daniel again. Daniel has half of his gray hair slicked back, and his dark feral eyes are glinting as they follow Jihoon’s every movements. The clothes they wear are a matching black and both of them blend into the darkness effortlessly.

 

No one notices when Jihoon pushes Daniel against the wall and presses their lips together.

 

Jihoon closes his eyes and blanks his mind at the feel of the other’s lips, fingers fisting into the other’s coat and body pressing close against Daniel’s. Daniel can’t deny that he is surprised, but his reaction is faster than his mind, so one hand immediately moves to hold onto Park Jihoon’s waist while the other hand goes to the back of Park Jihoon’s head. Daniel tilts his head a little to deepen the kiss. This is the first time they kissed, and the lips that are against his feel so deliciously soft and moist that Daniel can’t get enough of it.   

 

He makes a deep growling sound at the back of his throat and turns their position around. Jihoon’s back crashes against the wall and he is trapped within the larger body. Daniel dives down to kiss him again, demanding lips impatiently pulling on his lower lip. Jihoon’s mouth opened with a small breathy moan, and the hot wet tongue of Daniel immediately slips in and plays with Jihoon’s own. The kiss starts to become feverish as lips latch onto each other in hunger. Their heated breaths mingle between the space of their opened mouth, and the sticky wet sound of the meeting lips and mixing saliva are loud and obscene in their ears. Jihoon can’t help but to feel dizzy when they part for air.

 

“You’re delicious today.” Daniel smiles as he looks into Jihoon’s dazed eyes. Jihoon watches as Daniel’s hand slips underneath his shirt and runs along his abdomen. His hand is cold, and Jihoon is barely able to suppress a shiver when fingers swipe along his nipple.

 

He stops the hand before it can proceed any further. Jihoon blinks up slowly, murmuring. “If you want to eat me, let’s do it in a room.”

 

It’s a rush in his eyes. They stumble into a shady-looking motel nearby. The owner doesn’t question at the sight of two men asking for a room, its as if its something he normally sees. Instead he simply smokes away and takes the bills that Daniel pushes to him. Jihoon is still dazed even as Daniel grabs his wrist and leads him through the many stairs to their room. The moment they enter the room, he is dominated again by the eager lips of the other. This time, Daniel doesn’t hold back as he tries to peel off the other’s shirt in a haste.

 

At that moment, Jihoon seems to snap out of his daze as he grip onto the other’s wrist tightly.

 

“Let me do it.” The smile and voice are both shaky, but Jihoon wills himself to be calm.

 

He separates from Daniel and goes into the room. Taking off his shoes, he proceeds to sit on the bed. His eyes looks steadily at the darkened eyes of Daniel as he unbuttons his shirt. Daniel on the other hand is just silently watching him. So after taking off his clothes, he pulls Daniel towards him and helps to take off Daniel’s long black coat, then unbuttoning the shirt from down up. The action of undressing someone else feels so unfamiliar and weird that his hand misses the buttons a few times.

 

Once the shirt is off, Daniel pushes him down to the bed and climbs over his body. Jihoon is intimidated for a while by the sudden looming figure, but he is immediately distracted by Daniel who has lean down to kiss him again. Jihoon has kissed girls before, and he remembers how it feels like. But with a man, the feeling seems to be different. Does kissing a man always feel this overwhelming? It’s as if its trying to subdue him with each pull, nip and bite.

 

Because his upper body is so distracted, he doesn’t realize the hand that has quietly slithered to his lower part. Jihoon’s lips fall off from the other as a moan embarrassingly leaks out at the feel of a large hand grabbing his private part. The hand moves to stroke him and he starts to pant out shaky breaths. The hand is skillful and its as if it knows how to make him feel good. Stars burst in his mind and after a few more strokes he comes with a muffled groan, his nails that have unknowingly dug onto the other’s shoulders leaving traces of red crescents on the pale skin.

 

 _My turn._ Before Jihoon can comprehend what is happening, one of his thigh is lifted up with force and spread open. Daniel enters a finger to loosen him, another finger following right after. Jihoon twists uncomfortably at the foreign feeling, biting on his lower lip hard. Daniel is breathing heavily as he pulls out his hardened length from his pants and strokes while fingering Jihoon.

 

It must be after another minute or so before Daniel carelessly deems it as enough preparing, then proceeds to pull up both his thighs and fold them on his shoulders. Jihoon watches with moist eyes as the hefty size aligns itself on his loosened hole, biting his lip harder when the tip slowly sinks in. Daniel heaves a loud breath and starts pushing in deeper, and deeper until everything is in. The taste of metallic iron seeps on Jihoon’s tongue as he feels soft flesh break under his teeth.

 

Daniel starts moving and their bodies begin rocking back and forth in an erratic rhythm from the very start. Jihoon’s fingers fist into the sheets, knuckles gradually turning white with each rough thrust that is made into his body. It’s painful and he has difficulty trying to keep himself sane as the pain intensifies with the fastening pace.

 

“Fuck…” Daniel curses and delves deeper, hips snapping hard into the body below him. The tightness that squeezes around him is amazing, fueling his body into overdrive. Heat spreads all throughout his body, making him feverish from head to toe. He can hear the blood pounding in his head and its making him dizzy from pleasure. He looks down and sees Park Jihoon’s face which looks like he is in so much pain. There’s blood on his torn lips, and his eyes and cheeks are wet with tears.

 

It’s not enough, Daniel wants to make that mouth screams.

 

_Ah! Ah!_

 

With his body fully lowered against Jihoon, and face buried in Jihoon’s neck, he plunges in even faster and harder, and Jihoon gasps each time, breath hitching at the intense pain felt with the sudden change of position. The position makes it reach even deeper than it already was. He can’t even breathe, it feels like he’s going to die.

 

If he doesn’t act fast, he will die first before Daniel. This thought comes into his mind with a blaring alarm. 

 

As Daniel pounds into him with zero abandon, Jihoon’s hand searches the side hastily. He has purposely thrown his shirt on the bed earlier to make it easier for him to get the small pocket knife he keeps in his shirt. As he feels his fingers touching the familiar steel handle, he grasps onto it.

 

_It’s now or never._

 

When Jihoon looks back with his hand readying to stab, his heart immediately drops at the dark feral eyes that unknowingly have witnessed everything. No…

 

Before Jihoon can even react, Daniel is already holding his wrist in a death grip, effectively causing the strength to seep out from Jihoon's hold as it loosens shakily. The knife that is released falls down to the bed quietly. Even then, the death grip remains and Jihoon cries out as he feels as if his bone is going to get crushed if the grip tightens any further.

 

“I knew you have something in mind the moment I saw you.” Daniel’s warm breath ghosts along his cheeks. The hips doesn’t stop, if anything it seems to ram even more mercilessly into him this time.

 

“I knew…Park Jihoon.” The low dangerous voice slices through the air that has suddenly gone cold between them. Jihoon’s face pales visibly at the murderous look on the other’s face. Before he knows it, he is turned around and forced onto his front. Strong pair of arms wrap around his waist to pull his lower body up, and before he can react a stiff hardened cock pierces back into his body without warning. The lower body of Daniel slams into his so forcefully that he can’t even hold himself up. He falls limplessly on the bed, but Daniel wastes no time to use his arms and pull his hips back up to penetrate inside him again. For a moment, Jihoon thinks he is going to die from the unbearable pain.

 

At one point, his blurred vision catches the outline of the knife that has been abandoned at the corner of the bed, and he desperately tries to reach for it. It’s purely survival instinct that drives him to move, sense and logic have long been buried under the pain that dominates his whole body. It’s as if getting the knife is the only way he is going to survive through the night.

 

Before his hand can reach for it, another hand snatches it and Jihoon barely registers what is happening when suddenly the knife plunges itself deep into the sheets beside his head. He looks at the glinting metal that is just mere centimeters away from his widened eyes and couldn’t breathe for a few seconds.

 

 _I purposely missed your head._ The low voice whispers into his ear in a frighteningly calm manner.

 

After that, Jihoon seems to have lost awareness of what is happening. Although he is awake, his mind has shut down, and it is only his body that is independently responding whenever the blunt pain digs into him over and over. He doesn’t know how much time has passed, but as he waits for it to be over, the pain seems to dull gradually till he can only feel numbness at the end.  

 

As the feeling of fullness is gone, warmth and sticky wetness trails down the inside of his thighs.

 

A hand strokes his hair gently.

 

“One week is over. Now the hunt starts again.”

 

Jihoon tries to turn his body around but his lower body screams loudly in protest. After much effort and tears, he finally manages to turn himself. But Daniel is already nowhere to be seen.

 

Blood that continues to trail down his thighs soak the sheets underneath. Jihoon passes out in the midst of the blooming red that surrounds him.

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter and the next one will give insight to Jihoon and Daniel's background and past. I think they are important chapters for the future storyline, so I took more time to write them. Therefore sorry for the long wait! Hope this chapter is worth the wait :) Minhyun will also be making his first appearance here.

 

While Jihoon sleeps, he dreams vividly of memories from the past. It’s a dream that frequently startles him awake at night, with his whole body soaking in cold sweats.

 

It’s a dark dream. Rather than a dream…it’s a nightmare. And it has been haunting Jihoon for years.

 

Sometimes the nightmare becomes more twisted than it already was. And on those nights, Jihoon would wake up gasping for breath with tears falling down his cheeks. The nightmare has been Jihoon’s greatest fear since then.

 

This time, the dream starts out with the smiling face of his mother.

 

Jihoon’s father passed away when he was still small. Since then, it was only him and his mother. To support the family, his mother started to busy herself with work. His mother worked as a banker in a private bank, and sometimes she also took random part time jobs that require her to work at odd hours. Because she was so busy with work, sometimes Jihoon couldn’t see her at all the whole day. Even then, at a young age, Jihoon understood their family situation and tried not to burden his mother. So he started to learn how to do house chores, how to cook for himself and how to take care of the house. When his mother came back home, he would welcome her home with a smile. His mother who saw him would then have a smile on her own face as she hugged him in her arms. _Thank you for understanding,_ this was what she would usually say as she held Jihoon’s head against her shoulder.

 

He still remembers how it smelled like in her arms. It was a sweet calming fragrance that made his whole mind and body relaxed and it made him think that it’s okay even if they’re living like this. Because he could feel his mother’s love and that was enough for him.

 

However, in another different situation, his mother would hug him and start crying all of a sudden. _I’m sorry you have to live like this,_ she would repeat over and over again. _You deserve better, my son._ Whenever Jihoon hears this, he doesn’t know what to say. All he could do was to keep silent and still as he let his mother poured all her tears out on his shoulder and calmed herself. During those moments, the only thought that came to his mind was _I need to grow up faster._ For the sake of his mother who he loved dearly, he needed to grow up faster.

 

As he lived with this thought with each passing days, he matured faster than the other kids, and grew to become a reliable person for his mother.

 

Those days, he was the one who quietly looked after his mother when his mother was focused on working to earn money for them. He was the one who woke up early in the morning to prepare breakfast for both of them, and he dutifully waited for his mother to come back home at night so that they can eat dinner together.

 

On that day, he had a bad feeling. For no particular reason, his heart felt uneasy. He suddenly missed his mother, and he wanted to go and see her.

 

He made a surprise visit to the bank that she worked in after school that day. His mother saw him, and after finished attending to her customer she immediately went off to her son. _What’s wrong? Why did you come here suddenly?_ There was surprise evident in her eyes, but she looked happy as she greeted Jihoon immediately with a hug.

 

 _I was passing by the area…_  He mumbled with his head slightly bowed.

 

But his mother seemed to understand. Since small Jihoon was naturally a shy person, and he was not the type to express his feelings openly. So at Jihoon’s words, she had smiled warmly and said. _Okay, then just wait for me for a while. We will go back home together. Let’s eat outside today, shall we?_

__

Then Jihoon remembered waiting for his mother to finish her work for the day. He remembered silently doing homework in a corner, and his mother glancing once in a while in his direction.

 

He was focused in his homework for a while until suddenly there was a commotion in the reception area. Jihoon stopped what he was doing and went to look at what was happening.

 

_It’s the former president Hwang’s son, Hwang Minhyun._

 

He heard the whispers burst out as a young man came in through the entrance. Jihoon was 14 then and as he watched the dashing man who looked like he was in his early twenties striding in firmly with an air of importance, he immediately realized they lived in two completely different world.

 

The bodyguards were accompanying him from all sides, emphasizing his position in public. Jihoon could only watch in awe like others in the presence of an important figure.

 

Jihoon had heard of Hwang Minhyun before. At nights while waiting for his mother to come home, Jihoon would usually spend his time opening the newspapers and TV. Therefore he somehow had an idea on the current issues in their country. The most recent one has something to do with Hwang Minhyun. It was said that just a year after the former president stepped down, Hwang Minhyun started to follow the footsteps of his father and became a politician himself. He had been steadily gaining support from the citizens since then. It was because Hwang Minhyun was an exact doppelganger of his father, both in term of their appearance and their compassion towards the people. As the former president was loved greatly by the people, Hwang Minhyun also started receiving love and support from everyone.

 

However there were also people who disliked Hwang Minhyun. It seemed the former president Hwang had made enemies along his way of presiding. And they were less than eager to see his son being the one presiding over the country in the future.

 

So Jihoon had to wonder if this was the reason why on that day the group of men in black masks chose this bank as their target.

 

A while after the arrival of Hwang Minhyun, 5 men wearing concealing masks started firing their guns as they entered the bank. Screams suddenly erupted, and everyone took cover on the floor. The 2 security officers that were initially guarding the entrance were shot down in an instant.

 

In his panic, Jihoon got down under the table and trembled. He wanted to go to his mother, but his mother was at the other side. She was crying as she watched Jihoon from the other side.

 

Jihoon could hardly register what was being shouted by the masked men, but they seemed to want something. Or someone for that matter because as soon as the men finished saying something, Hwang Minhyun immediately stood and stepped up to them.

 

 _You can deal with me, but please do not harm the people. They are innocent._ Even in that situation, Hwang Minhyun’s voice was firm and unwavering. His shoulders were squared and his chin was up as he faced the men without fear.

 

As soon as Minhyun finished saying that, the men started to laugh. The sick, twisted laughter filled the air and made everyone flinch.

__

_Do you think you have the rights to tell us what to do right now?_  As if to prove himself, one of the man took a lady who was crying nearby and shot her in the head without hesitance. Everyone was left to watch the scene with widened fearful eyes as the atmosphere became deadly silent.

 

 _Who is the person in charge of this bank?_ Another one of them asked. There were only muffled sobs heard but no one answered, so they fired the gun again as a threat. _I’m asking who is the person in charge!!!_ Eventually, an elderly man stepped up with bowed head and awfully shaky steps.

 

_I-It’s me._

The end of the gun was pointed to his head as they continued. _Get all the money out from your bank right now. Fill it in this bags and give it to us in 10 minutes. If you don’t follow our instruction, we will shoot you._

_Y-Yes…?_

_I said go!_

_Yes!_

__

The man hurriedly went to carry out the instruction with one of the masked men monitoring him from behind. The others went to deal with the president’s son.

 

_We’re going to kill two birds with one stone. After we get the money, we will kill you. Then we will get another reward money for it. Should I say killing three birds with one stone instead?_

_…Who are the one giving you orders?_

_Ah…We couldn’t reveal his identity even if we want to. But its someone who wants you dead for their own selfish reasons._

_Do you think you will get away easily after committing a crime like this?_

_…What did you say? In less than 10 minutes, when our bag is here, you will become a dead cold body lying on the ground. Despite that, you dare to say something like that with the kind of situation you’re in right now?_

 

_…That is why I’m telling you to just get another person and kill them in front of his eyes. Then he will finally realize how serious this situation is right now._

__

The man who had shot the lady earlier went around to pick another victim. At that moment, Jihoon saw how his mother was being dragged away under the table by the hand that fisted in her hair.

 

What are you doing…?

 

_Please don’t! I beg you, please let me go!_

__

The pleading and crying voice of his mother sent his body into shock. Jihoon who got out of the table was running towards his mother without thinking.

 

_Let her go!!!!! Let her go!!!!!!_

It was the first time Jihoon had raised his voice. He was furious as he pounced on the man and tried to get his hand off his mother by biting his hand.

 

_This little shit...! What the fuck are you doing?!_

 

Because of the unexpected action of Jihoon, the situation became chaotic all of a sudden. At that moment, Hwang Minhyun sent a quick signal to his bodyguards and they immediately moved into action.

 

_Now!_

 

They took their guns out and start shooting.

 

_Take cover!_

 

There was a scene of open fire as the sound of incessant shooting filled the air. Jihoon only remembered being wrapped in his mother’s arms as both of them kneeled low on the floor. There were shouts and screams and cries, all mixed together in the background as the firing continues on.

 

Everything happened so fast. By the time it became quiet, there was a strong smell of gunpowder in the air.

 

And blood. The smell of blood was particularly strong.

 

Jihoon blinked when a drop of blood dripped on his face. When Jihoon looked up, it was the bloodied face of his mother that came into his vision. The blood was trailing down the side of her face and her eyes had become gray and unfocused. Words lost on his tongue, he slowly pulled himself out from his mother’s hold. The body of his mother fell limplessly on the floor. The head that had knocked onto the floor began pooling with blood from the gunshot wound on her forehead.

 

What are you doing lying like that on the floor…Won’t you get up?

 

Jihoon shook his mother’s lifeless body in a sudden increasing anxiety. Even when the police rushed in to take control over the situation, he remained sitting in front of his mother’s cold body, uncomprehending.

 

It was when the police tried to take him away that Jihoon began to scream, struggling fiercely in their hold.

 

_Please stop._

 

A voice instructed. It was Hwang Minhyun.

 

_Please let him be for a while…_

The same voice solemnly said.

 

It turned out Jihoon’s mother wasn’t the only casualty in the tragic incident. Due to the stray bullets that were being fired, there was a total of 5 innocent people who got killed including his mother. 4 of the masked men were shot and died instantly, and another one was arrested. However the latter had also been shot and couldn’t last long, and eventually died due to haemorrhage.

 

Jihoon couldn’t move from the spot for a few hours. He was talking well to his mother just this morning, watching her smiling face and feeling her warm embrace, and now he couldn’t understand why it feels so weird seeing her just lying like that, unmoving, unresponding, and her eyes unfocused and dead. Hwang Minhyun kneeled beside him the whole time and didn’t say a thing.

 

It felt like his world had crumbled right before his eyes and Jihoon cried like he never had for the first time in his life. He cried because he finally realized that his mother was gone…the one and only person who he loved and who was left for him in this world was really gone. He cried and cried until there was no more tears left, and fainted.

.

.

.

.

.

When he woke up, he was on a bed in an unfamiliar room.

 

_You’re awake._

 

A gentle voice murmured from the side. He saw Hwang Minhyun sitting on a chair at the bedside, looking at him with a softened expression.

 

Minhyun’s hand reached out to stroke his head slowly.

 

 _I’m sorry…_ The voice was laced with deep regret and sorrow. It was a sincere apology.

 

For the first time, the shoulders were slumped and the head of the proud man was bowed deeply.

.

.

.

.

.

The funeral took place the very next day.

 

Hwang Minhyun took the responsibility to become the head mourner for his mother’s funeral alongside with Jihoon.

 

The news of the tragic incident spread all over the country and many shed tears and showed their sorrow for the victim’s family. Even people who Jihoon didn’t recognize had showed up during his mother’s funeral to come and pay respect.

 

As his mother’s coffin was laid down, he cried in silence. He remembered it rained after that, and everyone started leaving, until he was the only one left standing in front of the grave.

 

He thought he was alone, but it turned out Hwang Minhyun was still there too. The man had shielded him under the umbrella, and stayed by his side.

 

_Jihoon-ah…_

 

Minhyun’s voice could barely be heard in the sound of lashing raindrops.

 

_Please come and live with hyung._

 

…

 

_Please let hyung take care of you from now on…_

 

Minhyun watched the bowed head of the boy beside him.

 

 _His name is Park Jihoon. Apparently, he lost his father at an early age and since then has been living with his mother... Just the two of them._ The voice of his secretary telling him these the day before the funeral came to mind. It was then he knew that Park Jihoon only had his mother with him. Now that his mother was gone, he had no one else left and nowhere else to go.

 

At least blame me for what happened…Maybe then, hyung will feel more relieved. But Park Jihoon stayed quiet the whole time and didn’t say a word even if he was being talked to. Don’t you at least have something to say to hyung? Curse me, yell at me, tell me I’m a horrible person, you could say whatever you want to me. If I didn’t appear on that day, your mother would probably still be alive and you wouldn’t be alone now…Hyung can bear all these words and all these guilt if you’re the one who said them.

 

Hyung deserved it, so won’t you say anything to hyung…?

 

Yet Park Jihoon remained silent. But the tears on that young face have started flowing down in a rush. It weighed unbearably heavy on Minhyun’s heart and he could do nothing but to gather the small body of the 14 year old boy in his arms as he cried.

 

He brought Jihoon home on that day, gave him a room, clothed him, fed him and took care of him the whole time. At night, he laid beside the boy in his bed and soothed him so that the boy could sleep. He wanted to do everything he can in place of the boy’s deceased mother. Even if he couldn’t become the exact mother figure, he promised to become a hyung who will care for Jihoon.

 

It was an oath he solemnly made the day Jihoon lost his mother.

 

Since the day his mother died, Jihoon had nightmares often. But Minhyun was always there to comfort him, so the fear became bearable. At first, he refused Minhyun. But as he saw how Minhyun often took time off work just to come to check up on him and made sure he ate properly, he started to believe the sincerity of this man.

 

It was a month after the incident. He had started going to school again. His friends showed him their sympathy and offered their condolences, but due to how big and serious the issue had become it was uncomfortable for them to interact with Jihoon so they tried to avoid getting involved with him. Eventually Jihoon was left alone, and the sense of loneliness grew bigger on that day. When he got home, Minhyun was nowhere to be found. He had locked himself up in the room after that and found a penknife in his drawer. He really had the mindset to end his life right then and there. It had been a month of sleepless nights because of the nightmares that kept haunting him. It was the face of his mother, bloodied and pale, and with eyes that were dead, dull and unresponsive as they stared into his eyes in his nightmares. And during the time when the silence became so deafening in the room, sometimes he thought he could hear his mother’s voice calling out to him faintly. The line of sanity started to become blurred.

 

He was making a second slice on his wrist when suddenly the door to his room was banged open. Minhyun looked scared, panicked as he appeared in front of the room.

 

_Park Jihoon, what do you think you’re doing?_

 

Minhyun who Jihoon thought was out for work had actually went out for a while just to buy some groceries. Upon returning, he had discovered an unusual thing. Jihoon’s room was locked, and even if he called for his name repeatedly from outside Jihoon didn’t respond. Eventually due to the sudden dread that clutched his heart, he hurriedly got a key to open the door. And confirming his worst fear, there Jihoon stood in the middle of the room with his wrist bleeding red and a knife gripped in his other hand. Jihoon was simply watching as the blood trailed off and stained the carpet underneath. Minhyun on the other hand, suddenly felt his breath became shaky at the sight and had rushed up to Jihoon to pull out the knife from his hold. Jihoon’s wrist was bandaged and he was brought into the car in a rush so that they can go to the hospital.

 

At the hospital, the doctor reassured Minhyun that thankfully Jihoon was okay. Because he was discovered early, so the blood loss was only minimal. But he needed to be hospitalized as they need to make sure of his suicidal intention and monitor him. When the doctor asked Jihoon then, Jihoon confessed that the suicidal intention was made on impulse. He said he did it because he didn’t want to suffer anymore.

 

In the end, he was hospitalized for a week before he was allowed to go back home.

 

On the day he was discharged from the hospital, Minhyun kept a careful watch on him.

 

_Drink this, Jihoon-ah._

 

Minhyun handed him a cup of warm tea when they sat in the living room later. Jihoon obediently accepted it and took a sip. It tasted bitter.

 

_Aren’t you going to go to work, hyung?_

_…I won’t go._

_Why?_

_…I don’t want it to happen again._

_But I’m okay now, hyung. You don’t have to worry._

__

It was probably because of the medications they gave to him while he was in hospital. But he had slept well for the past one week and since then his mind had started to clear. He had admitted to the doctor that what he did was wrong, and he simply had done it because he was not thinking clearly. In the end, after checking a few more times the doctor deemed that he was mentally stable to go home again.

__

But that didn’t reassure Minhyun.

__

_How can I not worry, Jihoon-ah…How do you think I would feel after finding you trying to cut yourself secretly? If that day I had entered your room a minute later, I don’t know what would’ve happened to you now…_ Minhyun rubbed his face in his hand tiredly.

__

_…I’m sorry._

 

Jihoon looked down as he apologized. He knew he had caused worry to the older man, and he felt guilty for it.

 

He expected Minhyun to be angry at him, but instead the latter only sighed while slowly bringing him into his arms. The scent in the arms was not the same sweet scent of his mother, but it was the sweet scent of Hwang Minhyun and it was comforting all the same. Minhyun held him tight in his embrace and stroked his head.

 

_Is it difficult, Jihoon-ah…? Please forgive hyung for not paying more attention to you._

__

It was said with such a soft voice, and it was trying to understand him.

 

_…Did you suffer a lot, Jihoon-ah?_

_…_

_I’m sorry… You must’ve suffered so much, and I didn’t know that…_

 

Jihoon was suddenly struck with the urge to cry.

 

_…_

_Jihoon-ah,_

_Hu…_

__

_If you’re suffering, please remember that you’re not alone. Hyung is always here for you. Hyung loves you, Jihoon-ah…You're not alone because hyung loves you.  
_

 

Tears started to well up in Jihoon’s eyes. It was because of Minhyun’s words. They seemed to tug on his heartstrings.

 

_It’s alright. You can cry like this whenever you want, and however bad it is, hyung will still be here for you._

_Hyung…hu…_

_Just tell me anything you want from now on. Hyung will listen to you, alright?_

 

After the death of his mother, Jihoon had thought he would be left alone. He had thought no one would be able to understand what he was feeling. Did you suffer a lot… Minhyun’s voice gently untangled the suffocating vines surrounding his heart. It was the sincerity he heard in that voice, of wanting to care, of wanting to understand, of wanting to love, which made him cry.

 

He had thought he couldn’t find anyone else to love after his mother left him. But as the arms of Minhyun enveloped around him in a secure cocoon, assuring him that it was okay to open his heart and let everything out, Jihoon knew he can believe in Minhyun.

 

And so Park Jihoon succumbed to his feelings and started loving Hwang Minhyun from that day onwards.

 

Since then, his nightmares had become less scary. And as the years passed, the nightmare became less and less frequent.

.

.

.

Jihoon then opens his eyes with a calm heart.

.

.

.

It’s morning.

 

The warm rays of sun filter through the flapping curtains beside the bed. It seems like a normal day, waking up to the sun in his face and listening as the day starts to become alive with hustling and bustling from the streets outside the window.

 

However, Jihoon is suddenly reminded that the reality isn’t as comforting as it seems.

 

The cheap smell of the hotel room filters into his nostrils. And there’s another familiar scent that accompanies it. The smell of blood. He looks down at the blood-soaked sheets underneath him and tries not to wince at the sight.

 

He gets a leg out of the bed slowly, then another and tries to stand up. The pain stings his bottom and he has to carefully maneuver himself around the room as he makes his way into the bathroom. Under the shower, he scrubs his whole body repeatedly like an itch, then cleans his bloodied part meticulously.

 

Daniel.

 

It’s the name of the man who wants to kill Minhyun.

 

Ever since the day he accepts Minhyun into his heart, Jihoon has made a resolution. The decision to choose this profession is also because of that resolution.

 

To protect the people who are important to him.

 

Minhyun has somehow become his purpose to continue living since then. And he worked hard to become someone who is capable to protect Minhyun. He doesn’t want to let the same thing that had happened to his mother happened to Minhyun.

 

And that is why this time, he will not allow himself to watch another person who he cared for die in front of his eyes again. If he needs to sacrifice his life to prevent that, he will readily do it.

 

And if he needs to kill someone to prevent that, he will readily do it too regardless of what it would take.

 

_Daniel._

 

He repeatedly mumbles the name while shivering under the shower.

 

It's to remind himself of the man he has to kill in order to protect his loved one.

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be mass updating my fics today for two things:  
> 1\. To celebrate boomerang's win since their comeback (congratulations to the boys ❤)  
> 2\. To celebrate the appearance of the boys on knowing brothers tonight (finally! XD) 
> 
> Therefore, enjoy reading the updates!
> 
> This chapter will explore Daniel's past and background. Also, Daniel's onstage boomerang image is exactly the kind of image that I pictured him to be in this fic so you can use it as a reference while reading if you want~
> 
> Jisung will also make an appearance in this chapter.

 

Daniel leans against a wall and watches from a distance as the children run around in the yard, noisily screaming and chasing after each other. The sight of the yard with swings, slides and sandboxes is familiar to Daniel. The memory of a younger him and the other boys playing in the same yard replays itself in his mind.

 

It’s been a while. But he is back to the orphanage that he once lived.

 

The house itself looks like it has aged many years since the last time he sees it. The yellow paints that brightly colour the walls once upon a time are peeling off and the name of the orphanage on the signboard that greets the entrance is almost faded.

 

Hope Orphanage, how long has it been since he last visited this place…

 

As he mulls over this, a middle-aged woman comes out from the front door of the house, and Daniel watches as she calls out to the children. He remembers her from his memories. The matron of the orphanage who always has a soft expression on her face, with a gentle smile and a calming voice whenever she talks to the children. This woman has once been regarded as a mother figure to a young Daniel. After he got adopted, he hasn’t had the opportunity to visit the orphanage. Now, after more than 10 years, he is finally able to step back to where he initially belonged. The memories which rush into his mind as soon as he sees this place, although vivid, still leave a deep impression to him. Everything started from here…

 

Without knowing, he is making his way through the gate. The gate makes a slight creaky sound when he opens it.

 

The sound attracts the attention of the woman.

 

“Who…”

 

Daniel stands facing the woman who looks surprised at his appearance. Back then, he remembers how she always has to bend down when talking to him. Now looking as she has to stretch her neck up to look at him, he realizes how much time has passed, how much he has grown, and how she has aged.

 

“...It’s me, Daniel.”

 

The surprise shows itself even more through the widened eyes.

 

“Daniel…?”

 

As if finally remembering the name, she covers her mouth and steps closer. A hand reaches out slowly to touch his face. The familiar warmth of the hand seeps through the contact. It still radiates the same feeling of comfort even after 10 years.

 

“Daniel…? That little Kang Daniel from this orphanage…?”

 

Both hands cup his cheeks and when Daniel looks into her eyes, there are tears in them.

 

“Look how much you’ve grown…It’s been so long since I’ve seen you.”

 

“...I’m sorry I didn’t come to visit earlier.” There’s a regretful tone to his voice.

 

She shakes her head and smiles in tears.

 

“No, no. It’s okay, I’m just relieved to see that you’ve grown up so well.” _The cute chubby little kid has grown up into a really handsome man! And look at you, your body has become so big and tall now! _S__ he laughs as she keeps examining him from head to toe. The laughter shows how genuinely happy she is, and Daniel realizes that he has missed everything about this woman. In the past, this woman is the one who has been by his side regardless through happiness or sadness. He should’ve come to visit much earlier, but work has been getting in the way and to add to the list, there were other personal issues to solve as well…The years had been unforgivingly busy to the extent that he barely had time even for himself. Aside from that, the other reason he couldn’t bring himself to visit all these while is because he doesn’t know if he can tell her about the work he is doing and the life he is living.

 

“How have you been doing?”

 

So when she asks this question, Daniel hesitates for a moment.

 

“...As you can see, I’ve been doing well. There’s also Jisung and Seongwu hyung who’ve been taking good care of me.”

 

“Oh, that’s right! Little Yoon Jisung and Ong Seongwu! How are the both of them doing, too?”

 

Matron also seems to remember the two boys who were always together with Daniel when he was in the orphanage. Their relationship continued to deepen when Seongwu and Jisung were adopted together with him, and since then they have become as close as real brothers.

 

“Both of them are doing well too…All three of us have been taken good care of by father since we started living with him.”

 

Matron smiles in relief at the answer. _Of course he has to, otherwise I wouldn’t let him off for mistreating my three favourite children!_ She laughs. Daniel feels a little smile making its way on his lips at the sight. For now, he decides telling her this much would be enough to ease her worries. He doesn’t want to cause any discomfort to her knowing that its the first time they have seen each other after a long time.

 

Matron then gives way for Daniel at the door as a sign of invitation.

 

“Little Daniel, aren’t you going to come in for a while?”

 

Daniel is then reminded that he initially came to visit this place out of a sudden whim.

 

“I’m sorry…I came here in the middle of the work. I have to go back to work soon, so I can’t stay long.”

 

He doesn’t know either what makes him choose this particular time to come and visit when he can’t even afford to make time for it. This morning when he woke up, he realized he had a dream of the days in the orphanage and since then the past started catching up with him and he began to wonder how the orphanage was doing. Now that he is able to see that everything is just as familiar and similar as it was in the past, and the matron is doing well, it’s enough for him to return to his life with an eased mind.

 

“…But you just came…and I have so much things I still want to know about you and the others….” The smile is lost as the matron’s face turns sad.

 

Due to the guilt, Daniel is only able to smile apologetically. Holding her hands in his, he looks at her with an earnest expression. “I’m really sorry…It’s my mistake for being so caught up with everything that I’m only able to visit this place after years…But this time I promise I will come back to visit again soon.”

 

Matron looks at him silently for a while, then as if understanding she sighs and starts smiling again. “Really…if you’re this busy, I’m guessing you must’ve been living a successful life.” _That’s something good, isn’t it?_

 

However, Daniel couldn’t answer.

 

“Our little Daniel… you’ve really grown up well. I’m proud of you.” Matron reaches her hand up to stroke his head. Then she gently pulls him into a hug while laughing. _Please bring little Jisung and Seongwu too next time. I want to hear stories from all three of you._

_Yes…_

Daniel can only answer obediently as his senses are enveloped by the familiar forgotten scent of the woman. It’s a scent that fills him with memories of comfort, peace and security. For a few moments in those arms, he is able to forget about the ruthless emotionless side of him, all the dark pasts that accumulate behind him and the unspeakable things he had committed. In that few moments in those arms, it feels like he has returned to those days when he was a young carefree child who only knows of happiness and freedom.

 

And in those few moments, he allows himself to revel in the feeling of being able to embrace the true, honest side of him who merely wishes for happiness.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“You’ve returned.”

 

Yoon Jisung greets Daniel the moment he steps into HQ. He looks anxious, as if he has been waiting for Daniel all along.

 

“What took you so long?” Jisung asks nervously.

 

“Sorry, I got a little distracted along the way.” He chooses not to mention about visiting the orphanage to Jisung as of now. If there’s anyone who loves the orphanage more than his life, it would be Jisung. Jisung has spent the longest time in the orphanage compared to him and Seongwu, and after being adopted he hasn’t returned to visit the orphanage too. And it was for the same reason as Daniel. Solely because of guilt. Knowing how Jisung’s personality is, the complicated guilt that he bears upon his heart is probably much heavier than the him and Seongwu combined.

 

After the three of them were adopted by their stepfather, their lives have changed drastically. The sunny cheerful days of the orphanage were forgotten as they went through the days being trained to become killers for the organization. Since then, their days have been filled with the sight of blood, pain and screams. Gradually they started to become aware of how much darkness that exists in the world they are living in, and those days had been the toughest and most grueling period to endure. If they had to go through all that alone at that time, Daniel was sure one of them would have been broken by now. It was merely because they had each other by their side that they haven’t lost their mind yet.

 

Jisung can be said to be the most soft-hearted among the three of them. He grew with love from the orphanage for 15 long years, and the loving personality seemed to not fade even after being recruited into the organization. Although there is always a professional side of him when doing the job, at the end of the day he is able to separate his identity for two different lives. A cold killer for his job, and a kind and caring hyung for Daniel and Seongwu.

 

It’s not surprising to see Jisung’s way of adapting. The things they have been subjected to make it possible to live two different lives with two different identities. Daniel and Seongwu seemed to adopt the same way of adapting growing up together.

 

And since they started living with such complicated identities, neither of them were able to have the courage to visit the orphanage. Daniel knew how Jisung sometimes had nightmares, drenched in cold sweats as he called out in desperation to be saved. The fear that manifested in his dream became his reality, and during those times Daniel was the one who woke Jisung up and silently comforted him. Sometimes, Jisung told him he wished they could go back to the orphanage and lived just like how it used to be with matron. That way, the guilt would end and they would stop suffering. But all three of them knew such a wish is impossible the moment they become a part of the organization.

 

The rule of __once in, never out__  is something that goes unspoken yet understood by everyone from the organization. It demands loyalty the moment you stepped in, and betrayal is equal to death punishment.

 

Daniel seems to adapt to this rule better compared to his two other hyung. As he went through the training at a very young age, his personality started to take form more from the dark side of the world that revolved around him. As he hardened with age, together with it came the realization that he could live with it normally when he discovered that he was able to kill an innocent person without so much as blinking an eye. Even when the blood splattered all over his face as he sliced off the life from a man’s neck, he realized he is barely bothered by it at all. Killing has become a routine, a skill even as he progressively hones it with each successful killed target. Before realizing it, he has gradually climbed up the ranking and became the organization’s number one.

 

“You are being summoned to the triangular room.”

 

Everyone in the organization knows what the triangular room is. It’s the room located in the highest floor in their HQ where the three bosses that lead the organization come together and make decisions. Mr. Yang Gitae, Mr. Moon Hyeonjun and Mr. Choi Hyunsoo. However, the people under the organization only call them by their initials, therefore they are known as Mr. Y, Mr. M and Mr. C. Among those three, Mr. Y is the eldest and is also the stepfather of Daniel, Seongwu and Jisung.

 

“Let’s hurry. Father is waiting.” Jisung says as he urges Daniel into the elevator.

 

Usually being summoned to the triangular room means that the three bosses have some important business to discuss with that person.

 

“What do they want?” Daniel asks idly as he waits for the elevator to bring them to the topmost level.

 

Jisung only shakes his head slowly in response, not able to answer due to the privacy of the matter itself. Soon, the elevator number blinks to the 12th floor and subsequently the door slides open.

 

“Niel-ah, father’s face doesn’t look good earlier. Just check on him for a while too after you’re done later…” The worry in Jisung’s voice is evident. Daniel nods once before stepping out of the elevator to head into the room.

 

When he opens the door, he is greeted by three men who sit in the three corners of the triangular room, all facing to the middle of the room. At the top corner, his father sits with an unreadable expression on his face.

 

“ _Unus,_ you’re 10 minutes late.” In the organization, the killers are ranked with Latin numbers. Daniel is number one. The voice that regards his title then belongs to Mr. M, and from his facial expression alone Daniel can tell he is displeased.

 

“...I’m sorry. I had some business to take care of.”

 

Mr. C crosses his legs and settles his clasped hands on his lap as he leans forward, eyeing Daniel with a calm look. “I hope the business you’re taking care of is related to the mission we assigned you.”

 

“...”

 

“It’s been two weeks since we assigned you with Mission Red Death. But Hwang Minhyun is still alive until today. Why the delay, _ūnus_?”

 

“I faced some difficulties along the mission.”

 

“Regardless of what kind of difficulties, two weeks is long enough period, no?”

 

“...”

 

“You know how important this mission is, don’t you? We have three months left until the next election. Before Hwang Minhyun becomes president, we have to eliminate him first. Once he becomes the president, it will be too late for us to do anything.” _By that time, he will be the one to eliminate us first._

 

Mr. M proceeded to add. “…And even though he is not the president yet currently, he is already this influential to go against us alone. Our black market activities have been paralyzed for months because of the damn spying police that follow his orders.”

 

Daniel lowers his head.

 

“...I understand.”

 

“If you understand the weight of this situation, then why is it taking so long to complete the mission?”

 

“I apologize…I’m just having trouble finding the right chance to kill him. Please give me more time.”

 

Mr. M shoots him a sharp look. “How much more time should we give to you for it to be enough?”

 

Mr. C who is calmly analyzing the situation says again. “If it’s proving to be too difficult for you to handle, I will get another person to take over the mission. Afterall, we have _duo_ who is just as equally efficient in getting rid of a target.”

 

Duo… Daniel knows to whom that title refers to. Kang Dongho, the second best in the organization after Daniel. That name often leaves a bad taste on Daniel’s tongue. It seems that there was a past dispute that had been buried unresolved between them, therefore sparking a bad atmosphere whenever the two met.

 

“That is not necessary. I will get it done, just give me a little bit more time.”

 

Daniel spoke in an unwavering tone, face barely showing any emotions. Mr. M frowned, about to oppose, but Mr. Y intervened before he could say anything.

 

“Daniel, can you specify what kind of difficulty you’re facing?” Mr. Y is the only one among the three who regards Daniel with his name and not by his given title. Because Mr. Y knew Daniel since he was small, has watched how Daniel grew each day till he became an impeccable killer for the organization. With the skill level of Daniel who has handled countless mission successfully in the past, his excuse for not being able to complete the mission would have been a valid one.

 

At his father’s question, the face of Park Jihoon comes to Daniel’s mind.

 

“...It is difficult to find an exact opening and the right time because Hwang Minhyun is heavily guarded all the time. There is an inspector who is persistently keeping watch on him as well.” _And who is also hot on my trails._

__

“I see.”

 

“Give me time until the end of this week, and I’ll bring you good news soon.”

 

“How do we trust you again on this?” Mr. M who has been silently frowning asked in a skeptical voice.

 

“...Just trust his words. Daniel has carried out all his mission for the organization flawlessly up until now, and has never disappointed us. We should give him time until the end of this week as he requested.” Mr. Y in the end decides. In the decisive words of the eldest, Mr. M and C aren’t able to object further and hence can only comply without a word.

 

“Alright…But if by the end of this week, Hwang Minhyun is still alive then _duo_  will take over the mission.”

 

After saying that, Mr. M stands up and coldly leaves the room. Mr. C on the other hand merely bows at the eldest and smiles at Daniel before he too leaves the room. With that, only Daniel and Mr. Y are left in the room.

 

After a moment of silence, Mr. Y asks.

 

“Daniel. Is everything okay?”

 

Daniel watches as his father stands up and slowly walks to the middle of the room where he stood. Daniel notes the sunken pale face of his father and is reminded yet again that something has changed over the years. His father is growing to become more and more ill. Three years ago, he was diagnosed by the doctor to have lung cancer and since then his health has started deteriorating gradually. The cancer that eats him from inside out seems to also gradually manifests its sign from the way how his body becomes thinner and more easily fatigued.

 

As he watches his father coughs out blood into the handkerchief, he realizes his father’s days are limited.

 

Yet his father always has a smile on his face these days. As if he’s accepted his fate, and is just preparing for the day to come.

 

Ever since his father knew that he was sick, he has become milder in nature, more thoughtful. He seems to be reminiscing a lot too, and is trying to live fixing his mistakes and resolving his regret as much as he can in his remaining days.

 

These days, the matters of the organization seem to be far away from his mind. Rather its his sons that he keeps thinking of.

 

_I’m sorry that I’ve dragged you into this world where you are not supposed to belong to. I’ve committed a huge mistake that cannot be reversed…I understand if you’re not able to forgive me…But recently, I’ve been thinking all I want is to see you all live a decent happy life._

_It’ll be great if you can live a life out of the organization._

Father had said with tears in his eyes on the day when he gathered all his three sons while he was receiving treatment on the hospital bed. It was the first time they had seen their father shed tears. And it was also the first time they had seen an expression so full of regret on their father’s face. Since then, Daniel started noticing the dilemma of his father which goes back and forth between the responsibility of leading the organization and letting go of it.

 

On days when he took care of his father, he could hear the elderly man mumbling to himself as he sat on a chair at the balcony. It was about his wife who he loved and wished to see after 20 long years of separation, of his son who he had held in his arms but the feelings long forgotten-

 

Recently, his father seems to have frequent travels down the memory lane of his past. It makes Daniel wonder sometimes if he is still living in the present.

 

“Father, please take a seat.” Daniel moves to bring the coughing man back to sit on the chair. There’s a dull ache in his heart that comes with the thought of the once strong powerful man who leads after hundreds of men from the organization now left in a fragile-looking body that can barely holds itself up.

 

Once the coughing stops, the elderly man wipes his mouth and musters a weak smile. “Don’t worry, I’m okay.” The man seems to have seen the look on Daniel’s face and therefore has to give reassurance. Daniel supports him by his side as he slowly walks out of the room. They take an elevator down and meet Jisung and Seongwu who are waiting at the front.

 

“Father.” Jisung comes up worriedly to them. Seongwu who is following behind mimics the same reaction.

 

“Don’t worry, don’t worry. I’m okay.” Father waves his hand in a dismissing manner, but Daniel remains filially holding onto his other arm until they got inside the car.

 

Today, their father is supposed to go for another cycle of chemotherapy, so the three of them decide to accompany him to the hospital. Even then, even if their father dutifully follows all the treatment method that is recommended by the doctor, he himself knows that the purpose of treatment is nothing but to simply delay his inevitably coming death. And his three sons know this as well. Because they know their father is in his last days, they try to be by his side as much as they can.

 

Eventhough it was their father who has made them enter this dark world, yet their father was also the reason why they are still alive until today. Countless mistakes were done while they grew up under the organization, unforgivable mistakes, yet father was the one who always protected them when they couldn’t and shielded them from death punishment. It’s ironic. They love the man who has sent them into this very hell. It was because despite the hell that they had to experience, they also remembered the days when they received love and warmth from their father. In the end, father also has two identities to him. One that leads the organization, and one that takes the role and responsibility as a real father. Outside from the organization work, the man treated the three of them like they were his own sons. And in response, the three of them were able to sincerely feel how a love from a father they never had felt like.

 

That was why when Daniel told the matron that their father had taken care of them well, the words held a certain amount of truth.

 

And that is also why despite the fact that there is a part of them which yearned for their long-lost freedom, they remain obedient to the chain that binds them.

 

It is all in the name of loyalty towards their father who they have come to love undeniably in return for his love towards them all these while.

 

 


End file.
